The Best Market Tour in Addis Ababa: What I Actually Thought

On my second visit to Addis, I realized I definitely needed a tour guide in order to have the best market tour in Addis Ababa. Mercato is the largest market in Africa and spans stalls, outdoor area, huge apartment blocks filled with stores, and vendors of all kinds. There are so many lanes, alleyways, and streets that there is no way you can figure it all out on your own.

The first time I went, I thought I could manage it by myself. We only found the fabric section and barely made it out of that area. Google Maps is not helpful at all inside the Mercato area and things are not labeled.

If you’re considering going to Mercato, I would absolutely recommend going with a guide for this experience. I went with Mike from Habesha Wonder and had the best time.

Quick Summary: The Habesha Wonder Mercato tour is the best way to experience this Addis Ababa market. Expect to walk a lot and see everything from traditional crafts to secondhand electronics. It feels more like exploring with a local friend than being on a tour, and it’s 100% worth it. Contact them at +251912669044 or wanderlusthabesha@gmail.com

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My Tour with Habesha Wonder

This Mercato experience was part of a custom tour I did with Habesha Wonder, which also included Ensira Pottery, lunch, jewelry shopping, a river walk, and an evening water show.

I suggest reaching out to Habesha Wonder directly to arrange a visit and get the best rates. I contacted them via email (wanderlusthabesha@gmail.com) and tour guide Mike responded. Then we moved to WhatsApp (+251912669044) to communicate. I chose this company after reading really great reviews on Viator for this 4-hour layover tour.

Because I knew I wanted to do more than a typical tour, I customized my day. Before I arrived, I had a call with Mike and we talked through everything I wanted to see. He helped create a custom itinerary that ended up being one of the highlights of my trip in Addis Ababa. Transportation was included in the tour and Mike picked me up and dropped me off from my hotel.

The whole experience felt more like exploring the city with a friend rather than being on a structured tour. Of course, he shared a lot of background about Addis, but we also talked about everyday life, how the city is changing, and what it’s like to live there.

As usual, I always recommend doing a tour on your first day in a new city. Local guides like Mike will give you up-to-date recommendations for food, activities, and things to do. I wouldn’t have found half of these spots on my own, especially since a lot of information online doesn’t keep up with how fast Addis Ababa is changing. Even what I’m sharing here could shift over time, which is why having a guide makes such a difference.

Besides tours in Addis Ababa, Habesha Wonder conducts day tours (and more) from the city. You can explore the monasteries, coffee plantations, and discover the lakes. In Addis, also check out their food tour.

Getting to Mercato

Our day actually started at Ensira Pottery, which you can read about here. Then there, we took the train to Mercato, which was such a fun experience!

The train runs east to west across the city, and I never would have thought to take it on my own. We only went a few stops, but it was a cool way to see Addis from a different perspective.

Once we arrived, we got off and started walking. I never felt unsafe at all in Mercato even with my phone out to take pics.

People carry a lot of things on their heads here!

What Mercato Is Actually Like

As we crossed into the market, the energy picked up immediately. People were buying, selling, and going about their day.

What surprised me the most was that no one was trying to pull me into their shops or aggressively sell anything. Everyone was just focused on their own business, which made the experience feel much more relaxed than other markets I’ve visited.

This is where having a guide really makes sense so you have the best market tour in Addis Ababa, because you’re able to move through the space easily, stopping for pics or to buy something but also having a plan of where to go (because of a guide).

There are two ways to explore the market. You can tell your guide specifically what you want to see (you’ll get that and more). Or, you can go with the flow and the tour guide will take you to all the highlights. Beyond what I saw, there are pottery sections, coffee, and a fabric section (a mix of imported, local cotton, and some African prints). The market is hugeee so it’s best to share your expectations with your guide so they can plan it well. It also depends on how long you want to stay in the market.

Spices, Hidden Spots, and Local Experiences

Mike and I started in the spice section, where I even got to pretend to be a seller for a bit. I picked up thyme (it smelled amazzzinng), berbere spice (the flavor spice combo used in a lot of Ethiopian food), and chili.

Mike took me to a truck that he said had the best spice mix, which is something I never would have found on my own. This was so funny, who knew I’d be buying spices out of the back of a truck.

Along the way, we saw people preparing chilies to be sold.

We also passed areas where black sesame was being processed, which I later had in a teff flatbread dish. It was interesting to see how these ingredients move from market to table.

At one point, we ducked into a tiny hidden passage between stalls where there was a small food stand. I never would have noticed it. The girls there started dancing, and we stopped for a Fanta in this tiny, lively space.

Part of the fun is seeing things yourself for the first time, so go on the tour to find out what it looks like.

Baskets, Markets, and Behind the Scenes

Next, we headed to the basket section, which was one of the things I really wanted to see. We saw where the raw materials are sold and how the baskets are made. I even “helped” with a single stitch.

The baskets are beautiful and come in so many colors. Some are used as tables for serving food, while others are used for storing injera. I wanted them allllll.

Then, we stopped to watch a game of foosball!

Next, we continuing on to the secondhand market. Here, I saw electronics like computers and TVs being taken apart and repurposed. Some parts are reused, others are melted down, and valuable components are resold.

Then we went to the scrap area. It looked chaotic at first, but it was actually pretty organized. I climbed up a ladder to get a view of the market.

It just kept going and goinggg… I couldn’t see where it ended.

This part alone made it clear why this is the best market tour in Addis Ababa. A guide who knows where this ladder is located is an asset!

At the end of the tour, Mike took me to a trusted vendor where I bought a traditional jebena coffee pot stand and Mike gifted me some lovely woven mats.

From there, we took a taxi back to Mike’s car, and even that turned into a fun experience. The taxi driver was vibing with us, haha.

Final Thoughts on the Experience

This market tour was easily one of the highlights of my trip. Even though I usually like exploring on my own, this is one experience where having a guide completely changed things.

If you want a deeper, more local perspective, this really is the best market tour in Addis Ababa. Your tour won’t look exactly like mine as you’ll customize the places you want to see in Mercato. Or, tell Mike you want to do what Attiya did exactly haha.

This Mercato experience was just part of my customized tour. Afterwards, Mike took me to lunch at Addis Ababa Restaurants (definitely among the best restaurants in Addis Ababa).